Cut-cell Grids Research Articles

Less-Intrusive Consistent Discretization Methods for Reservoir Simulation on Cut-cell Grids – Algorithms, Implementation, and Testing

Less-Intrusive Consistent Discretization Methods for Reservoir Simulation on Cut-cell Grids – Algorithms, Implementation, and Testing

Stochastic and self-consistent 3D modeling of streamer discharge trees with Kinetic Monte Carlo

This paper contains the foundation for a new Particle-In-Cell model for gas discharges, based on Îto diffusion and Kinetic Monte Carlo (KMC). In the new model the electrons are described with a microscopic drift-diffusion model rather than a macroscopic one. We discuss the connection of the Îto-KMC model to the equations of fluctuating hydrodynamics and the advection-diffusion-reaction equation which is conventionally used for simulating streamer discharges. The new model is coupled to a particle description of photoionization, providing a non-kinetic all-particle method with several attractive properties, such as: 1) Taking the same input as a fluid model, e.g. mobility coefficients, diffusion coefficients, and reaction rates. 2) Guaranteed non-negative densities. 3) Intrinsic support for reactive and diffusive fluctuations. 4) Exceptional stability properties. The model is implemented as a particle-mesh model on cut-cell grids with Cartesian adaptive mesh refinement. Positive streamer discharges in atmospheric air are considered as the primary application example, and we demonstrate that we can self-consistently simulate large discharge trees.

A full-field simulation methodology for sonic boom modeling on adaptive Cartesian cut-cell meshes

This paper develops a full-field direct numerical simulation methodology of sonic boom in a stratified atmosphere. The entire flow field, ranging from the near field around a supersonic body to the far field extending to the ground, is modeled by the three-dimensional Euler equations with a gravitational source term. Thus far, it has been solved using a structured grid, and an application of previous simulation to complex geometries has been limited. In this study, we realize a full-field simulation by employing the following four numerical approaches: (i) a hierarchical structured adaptive mesh refinement (AMR) method, (ii) a Cartesian cut cell method, (iii) a well-balanced finite volume method, and (iv) a segmentation method of the computational domain. A new well-balanced, MUSCL-Hancock scheme applied over Cartesian AMR and cut cell grids for a stratified atmosphere is formulated. The computational results of an oblique shock wave in a stratified atmosphere agree well with the exact solution. A full-field simulation successfully reproduces the Drop test for Simplified Evaluation of Non-symmetrically Distributed sonic boom (D-SEND) #1, conducted by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA). The results of this simulation are in good agreement with those of the previous computational study, the waveform parameter method, and flight test measurements. The grid convergence study shows that the mesh size is fine enough to assess pressure signatures over the entire flow field. These results demonstrate that a full-field simulation with AMR and cut cell grids is a powerful tool for extensively analyzing three-dimensional shock wave propagation in a stratified atmosphere.

Effect of Deterministic and Continuous Design Space Resolution on Multiple-Objective Combustor Optimization

Abstract Supervised machine learning is used to classify a continuous and deterministic design space into a nondominated Pareto frontier and dominated design points. The effect of the initial training data quantity on the Pareto frontier and output parameter sensitivity is explored. The study is performed with the optimization of a subsonic small-scale cavity-stabilized combustor. A 3D geometry is created and parameterized using computer aided design (CAD) that is combined with a software for meshing, which automatically transfers grids and boundary conditions to the solver and postprocessing tool. Steady, compressible three-dimensional simulations are conducted employing a multiphase Realizable k–ε Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes (RANS) physics with an adiabatic flamelet progress variable (FPV) model. The near-wall turbulence modeling is computed with scalable wall functions (SWFs). For each computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulation, four levels of adaptive mesh refinement (AMR) are utilized on the original cut-cell grid. There are 15 geometrical input parameters and three output parameters, viz., a pattern factor proxy, a combustion efficiency proxy, and total pressure loss (TPL). Three times the number of input parameters plus one (48) is necessary to yield an optimization independent of the initial sampling. This conclusion is drawn by examining and comparing the Pareto frontiers and global sensitivities. However, the latter provides a better metric. The relative influence of the input parameters on the outputs is assessed by Spearman's order-rank correlation and an active subspace analysis. Some persistent geometric features for nondominated designs are also discussed.

A discontinuous Galerkin immersed boundary solver for compressible flows: Adaptive local time stepping for artificial viscosity–based shock‐capturing on cut cells

SummaryWe present a higher‐order cut cell immersed boundary method (IBM) for the simulation of high Mach number flows. As a novelty on a cut cell grid, we evaluate an adaptive local time stepping (LTS) scheme in combination with an artificial viscosity–based shock‐capturing approach. The cut cell grid is optimized by a nonintrusive cell agglomeration strategy in order to avoid problems with small or ill‐shaped cut cells. Our approach is based on a discontinuous Galerkin discretization of the compressible Euler equations, where the immersed boundary is implicitly defined by the zero isocontour of a level set function. In flow configurations with high Mach numbers, a numerical shock‐capturing mechanism is crucial in order to prevent unphysical oscillations of the polynomial approximation in the vicinity of shocks. We achieve this by means of a viscous smoothing where the artificial viscosity follows from a modal decay sensor that has been adapted to the IBM. The problem of the severe time step restriction caused by the additional second‐order diffusive term and small nonagglomerated cut cells is addressed by using an adaptive LTS algorithm. The robustness, stability, and accuracy of our approach are verified for several common test cases. Moreover, the results show that our approach lowers the computational costs drastically, especially for unsteady IBM problems with complex geometries.

Adaptive Cartesian cut-cell sharp interface method (aC3SIM) for three-dimensional multi-phase flows

A sharp interface method has been developed for treating interfacial discontinuities in compressible multi-phase fluids on three-dimensional Cartesian cut-cell grids. The evolution of the interfacial discontinuities in the Cartesian grid is captured by the level-set method. The intersections between interfacial fronts and Cartesian grids are interpolated using level-set function values at the vertices of Cartesian grids. Triangular surfaces are then constructed on the interfacial fronts. A novel cell merge method is used for complex topological changes. Jump conditions across discontinuous interfaces are enforced by reconstruction of interfacial flow variables using a constrained least-squares method. The inviscid flux across internal faces of the same fluid is calculated by the local Lax–Friedrichs flux. Manufactured solutions for interfaces are suggested for validation of the reconstruction method. Laplace’s law test results show that the present method drastically reduces the parasite currents compared to conventional interface treatment methods. Bubble rise problems also show the validity and accuracy of the proposed sharp interface method for immiscible two-phase fluids.

A moving boundary flux stabilization method for Cartesian cut-cell grids using directional operator splitting

An explicit moving boundary method for the numerical solution of time-dependent hyperbolic conservation laws on grids produced by the intersection of complex geometries with a regular Cartesian grid is presented. As it employs directional operator splitting, implementation of the scheme is rather straightforward. Extending the method for static walls from Klein et al. (2009) [37], the scheme calculates fluxes needed for a conservative update of the near-wall cut-cells as linear combinations of “standard fluxes” from a one-dimensional extended stencil. Here the standard fluxes are those obtained without regard to the small sub-cell problem, and the linear combination weights involve detailed information regarding the cut-cell geometry. This linear combination of standard fluxes stabilizes the updates such that the time-step yielding marginal stability for arbitrarily small cut-cells is of the same order as that for regular cells. Moreover, it renders the approach compatible with a wide range of existing numerical flux-approximation methods. The scheme is extended here to time dependent rigid boundaries by reformulating the linear combination weights of the stabilizing flux stencil to account for the time dependence of cut-cell volume and interface area fractions. The two-dimensional tests discussed include advection in a channel oriented at an oblique angle to the Cartesian computational mesh, cylinders with circular and triangular cross-section passing through a stationary shock wave, a piston moving through an open-ended shock tube, and the flow around an oscillating NACA 0012 aerofoil profile.

Advection on Cut-Cell Grids for an Idealized Mountain of Constant Slope

Abstract Cut cells use regular or nearly regular polygonal cells to describe fields. For a given orography, some cells may be completely under the mountain, some completely above the mountain, and some are partially filled with air. While there are reports indicating considerably improved simulations with cut cells, inaccuracies may arise with some approximations, producing noise in fields near the surface. This behavior may depend strongly on the approximations made for the advection terms near the surface. This paper investigates the accuracy of advection for numerical schemes for a nondivergent flow near a mountain surface. The schemes use C-grid staggering with densities located at cell centers or on the corners of cells. Also, a nonconserving scheme is considered, which was used in the past with real-data cut-cell simulations. Since the cut cells near the surface create an irregular resolution, the accuracy and order of some approximations may break down near the surface. The objective of this paper is to find schemes having the same accuracy for advection near the surface as in the interior of the domain. As a test problem, uniform advection by a nondivergent velocity field is used with a 45° slope mountain (represented as a straight line) on a rectangular grid. Along the surface a sequence of triangular and pentagonal cells of quite different sizes are generated. Some schemes being discussed for cut cells lead to inaccurate and noisy solutions for this perfectly smooth mountain. A scheme using piecewise linear basis functions in a C grid with density points at the cell corners avoids these inaccuracies.

Comparison of Terrain-Following and Cut-Cell Grids Using a Nonhydrostatic Model

Abstract Terrain-following coordinates are widely used in operational models but the cut-cell method has been proposed as an alternative that can more accurately represent atmospheric dynamics over steep orography. Because the type of grid is usually chosen during model implementation, it becomes necessary to use different models to compare the accuracy of different grids. In contrast, here a C-grid finite-volume model enables a like-for-like comparison of terrain-following and cut-cell grids. A series of standard two-dimensional tests using idealized terrain are performed: tracer advection in a prescribed horizontal velocity field, a test starting from resting initial conditions, and orographically induced gravity waves described by nonhydrostatic dynamics. In addition, three new tests are formulated: a more challenging resting atmosphere case, and two new advection tests having a velocity field that is everywhere tangential to the terrain-following coordinate surfaces. These new tests present a challenge on cut-cell grids. The results of the advection tests demonstrate that accuracy depends primarily upon alignment of the flow with the grid rather than grid orthogonality. A resting atmosphere is well maintained on all grids. In the gravity waves test, results on all grids are in good agreement with existing results from the literature, although terrain-following velocity fields lead to errors on cut-cell grids. Because of semi-implicit time stepping and an upwind-biased, explicit advection scheme, there are no time step restrictions associated with small cut cells. In contradiction to other studies, no significant advantages of cut cells or smoothed coordinates are found.

Analysis of an open source quadtree grid shallow water flow solver for flood simulation

The shallow water flow solver within Gerris Flow Solver implements second-order accurate Gudunov type numerical schemes, with preserving the balance of source and flux terms on quadtree cut cell grids. The solver provides flexible grid generation, with using adaptive quadtree grids and the cut cell method, which can improve computational efficiency in 2D simulations. The solver, however, cannot implicitly discretize nonlinear friction without linearization since the current version of Gerris supports the implicit discretization only for linear friction. We compare implicit treatment for Manning's friction to the linearization. Simulation results using a benchmark test show the difference between two methods is only significant when the roughness coefficient is unrealistically high. Two real flood events, Malpasset dam break in France and Baeksan levee failure in Korea, are simulated using the quadtree grid based shallow water model, with adaptively refining meshes near water fronts and river boundaries. Comparison of simulation results with observations and measurements demonstrates that the grid adaptation can save approximately 85%–95% of the computational cost while preserving the accuracy. The research result shows that the linearized friction using the current version of Gerris can be applied for flood simulation and multiple inflow boundaries can be treated as source terms.

Unstructured Cut-Cell Grids for Modeling Complex Reservoirs

SummaryEffective workflows for translating Earth models into simulation models require grids that preserve geologic accuracy, offer flexible resolution control, integrate tightly with upscaling, and can be generated easily. Corner-point grids and pillar-based unstructured grids fail to satisfy these objectives; hence, a truly 3D unstructured approach is required. This paper describes unstructured cut-cell gridding tools that address these needs and improve the integration of our overall reservoir-modeling workflows.The construction of simulation grids begins with the geologic model: a numerical representation of the reservoir structure, stratigraphy, and properties. Our gridding uses a geochronological (GeoChron) map from physical coordinates to an unfaulted and unfolded depositional coordinate system. The mapping is represented implicitly on a tetrahedral mesh that conforms to faults, and it facilitates accurate geostatistical modeling of static depositional properties. In the simplest use case, we create an explicit representation of the geologic model as an unstructured polyhedral grid. Away from faults and other discontinuities, the cells are hexahedral, highly orthogonal, and arranged in a structured manner. Geometric cutting operations create general polyhedra adjacent to faults and explicit contact polygons across faults. The conversion of implicit models to explicit grids is conceptually straightforward, but the implementation is nontrivial because of the limitations of finite precision arithmetic and the need to remove small cells formed in the cutting process.In practice, simulation grids are often constructed at coarser resolutions than Earth models. Our implementation of local grid coarsening and refinement exploits the flexibility of unstructured grids to minimize upscaling errors and to preserve critical geologic features. Because the simulation grid and the geologic model are constructed by use of the same mapping, fine cells can be nested exactly inside coarse cells. Therefore, flow-based upscaling can be applied efficiently without resampling onto temporary local grids.This paper describes algorithms and data structures for constructing, storing, and simulating cut-cell grids. Examples illustrate the accurate modeling of normal faults, y-faults, overturned layers, and complex stratigraphy. Flow results, including a field-sector model, show the suitability of cut-cell grids for simulation.

Well-balanced shallow water flow simulation on quadtree cut cell grids

A well-balanced shallow water flow model on quadtree cut cell grids is presented. The Cartesian cut cell method is applied due to its flexibility in treating curvilinear boundaries. In order to preserve a lake-at-rest and the positivity of water depths in drying/wetting zones, the hydrostatic reconstruction proposed by Audusse et al. [1] is implemented on cut cell grids. In addition, the gradient construction method on cut cells proposed by Causon et al. [8] is modified due to the spurious calculation when a solid boundary is nearly parallel to grids. The numerical schemes mentioned above are employed in Gerris which is open source free software and provides a shallow water solver on adaptive quadtree grids. The applied numerical schemes are validated using four test simulations: still water in an inclined domain; oscillation in a parabolic container; shock reflection by a circular cylinder; flash flood experiment in a model city. The simulation results are compared with analytical solutions, experiment data and the results simulated by other researchers.

Numerical Simulation of Shallow-Water Flow Using a Modified Cartesian Cut-Cell Approach

The Cartesian cut-cell method can be used to represent irregular and complex computational domains with less computational efforts by cutting the grid cells on the boundary surfaces in a background uniform Cartesian mesh. In this study, a modified Cartesian cut-cell grid technique is proposed to better represent complex physical geometries. A point shifting treatment was employed to determine the start and end points of a line segment in cut-cell grids. This led to an improved representation of sharply-shaped corners in surface polygons. Numerical simulation to solve a set of shallow-water equations was performed by incorporating a finite volume approach into the Cartesian cut-cell mesh. The advective fluxes at intercells were first estimated by a Harten, Lax and van Leer for contact wave approximate Riemann solver. In order to improve the model accuracy to the second order, a total variation diminishing-weighted average flux method was applied to work adaptively with the cut-cell mesh. The numerical model was then employed to simulate dam-break flow propagation in a small channel with a rectangular obstacle or a 45° bend. The numerical results show good agreement with available laboratory measurements.

Numerical prediction of interfacial instabilities: Sharp interface method (SIM)

We introduce a sharp interface method (SIM) for the direct numerical simulation of unstable fluid–fluid interfaces. The method is based on the level set approach and the structured adaptive mesh refinement technology, endowed with a corridor of irregular, cut-cell grids that resolve the interfacial region to third-order spatial accuracy. Key in that regard are avoidance of numerical mixing, and a least-squares interpolation method that is supported by irregular datasets distinctly on each side of the interface. Results on test problems show our method to be free of the spurious current problem of the continuous surface force method and to converge, on grid refinement, at near-theoretical rates. Simulations of unstable Rayleigh–Taylor and viscous Kelvin–Helmholtz flows are found to converge at near-theoretical rates to the exact results over a wide range of conditions. Further, we show predictions of neutral-stability maps of the viscous Kelvin–Helmholtz flows (Yih instability), as well as self-selection of the most unstable wave-number in multimode simulations of Rayleigh–Taylor instability. All these results were obtained with a simple seeding of random infinitesimal disturbances of interface-shape, as opposed to seeding by a complete eigenmode. For other than elementary flows the latter would normally not be available, and extremely difficult to obtain if at all. Sample comparisons with our code adapted to mimic typical diffuse interface treatments were not satisfactory for shear-dominated flows. On the other hand the sharp dynamics of our method would appear to be compatible and possibly advantageous to any interfacial flow algorithm in which the interface is represented as a discrete Heaviside function.

Interactions of breaking waves with a current over cut cells

By design of the external and internal wave–current generators, the objective of this paper is to extend our efficient Navier–Stokes solver [T. Li, P. Troch, J. De Rouck, Wave overtopping over a sea dike, J. Comput. Phys. 198 (2004) 686–726] for modelling of interactions between breaking waves and a current over a cut-cell grid, based on a dynamic subgrid-scale (SGS) model. This solver is constructed by a novel VOF finite volume approach, coupled with surface tension. When studying waves following a positive current, our external generator creates the combined inflow motions of waves and a current, which is viewed as one type of wavy inflow conditions. For cases of waves against strong currents, our internal generator describes the opposing current, by incorporating the source function to the continuity and momentum equations as a net driving force, acting on the fluid elements lying within the finite thickness source region. The outgoing waves downstream are dissipated with a breaking-type wave absorber placed in the tank extremity. Five test cases recommended are of distinctly different applications of interest, characterized by overtopping of following waves over sloping and vertical structures. Under the grid refinement effects, the results in 2D and 3D are in close agreement with the experimental data available in terms of the surface wave. Additionally, the performance of convergence in computations is also investigated, including full discussion for waves on beaches between 2D and 3D. By visualization of the motions that describe the physics of turbulence, it has been shown that our solver can capture most of the significant features in wave–current interactions varying with three different current speeds (positive, zero, negative).

Wave overtopping over a sea dike

This paper describes a solver on the simulation of overtopping of water waves over sloping and vertical structures in a numerical wave tank (NWT). It involves a time-implicit cell-staggered approximately factored VOF finite volume (FV) approach for solution of unsteady incompressible Navier–Stokes (NS) equations with a free surface on nonuniform Cartesian cut-cell grids. The Godunov-type high-order upwind schemes are introduced for discretization of the convective fluxes, while the coupling of the pressure with the velocity is realized by a projection method. The effects of turbulence are incorporated with a subgrid-scale (SGS) model. A novel VOF solver is proposed for the capture of a free surface undergoing severe topological deformation related with breaking waves. Only an approximation for the free-surface boundary conditions neglects the viscous stress but surface tension is modelled as a body force. A blend of second- and fourth-order artificial damping terms is designed for enhancement of the numerical stability. Additionally, the cut-cell techniques are utilized for handling an arbitrary geometry, and an absorbing-generating boundary condition for a wave generator is applied. The calculated results are represented in terms of the surface elevation versus time at certain locations and the velocity fields created by regular and irregular waves. Furthermore, the convergence behavior, the grid refinement effects, the study of different SGS models, the surface tension and Reynolds number effects and the role of a turbulence model under breaking waves are discussed, including a comparison with measurements available.